Sunday, 30 June 2013

Afshin Osanlou, an
inter-city bus driver, prominent labour activist and brother of bus workers'
union leader Mansoor Osanlou, died of cardiac arrest in Rajaee Shahr Prison in
Iran on Friday 21st June. He was only 42. According to his family,
Afshin had no history of heart disease. He was arrested in the autumn of 2010,
tortured and given a five-year sentence for his labour activities. According to
his sister, Afshin died before reaching hospital. All indications are that
Afshin Osanlou has been murdered by the regime. This is not the first time that
a dissident activist dies in prison in Iran. The following are some of the
activists and political dissidents who in recent years have died in Iran’s prisons:

Harassment and
torture of political prisoners and the inhuman prison conditions are behind
many of the physical and psychological ailments affecting political prisoners
in Iran, and which the judicial authorities stop from being treated. The death
of Afshin Osanlou is a warning about the threats facing political prisoners in
Iran.

By its persecution of
activists, by its physical and psychological tortures, by its inhuman prison
conditions, by its denial of medical care for prisoners suffering from ill
health, the regime in Iran is responsible for the deaths of jailed labour
activists and political prisoners.

We condemn the
Islamic Republic regime for the murder of Afshin Osanlou.

We call for the
immediate release of all jailed workers and political prisoners in Iran.

We call for the
provision of urgent and proper medical care for all jailed workers and
political prisoners in Iran.

We join the families
of political prisoners in demanding an end to the deadly conditions in Iran's
prisons, implementation of appropriate safeguards for prisoners' health and
safety and protection of their rights in accordance with internationally
recognised standards.